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Focus

Focus, or Focus 580, was WILL Radio's flagship talk program from 1981 until 2014. David Inge was the host from 1981 until his retirement in 2012. Always engaging, the program acted as a resource for citizens to directly question politicians and candidates as well as keep up on the arts, science, health, and even the latest from well-known novelists.

The Focus archive below offers thousands of great interviews and serves as a time capsule and a great resource for researchers and those just curious about how influential people spoke of important topics as they were happening.

Will the Pope get a retirement package? With all politics considered, who is his most likely replacement? This hour on Focus, we talked about what’s ahead for the Roman Catholic Church. Host Jim Meadows spoke with Kevin Schultz of the University of Illinois in Chicago and Tom Roberts of the National Catholic Reporter.

Do you experience wanderlust? Or do you have yet to catch the travel bug? This hour on Focus, host Jim Meadows talked with public radio host, TV personality and world-renowned travel writer and broadcaster Rick Steves.

During this episode of Focus, we talked with University of Illinois President Robert Easter and Chancellor Phyllis Wise and addressed concealed carry on campus, unofficial St. Patrick's day and the controversy over Chief Illiniwek.

We are fascinated with exotic life forms; legends of monsters like the Kraken and Nessie litter our folklore. But why? Today on Focus, host Jim Meadows talks with David Toomey, author of the new book Weird Life.

Today on on Focus, host Craig Cohen talked with Time Out Chicago’s Film Editor about this year’s Oscar nominees and the politlcal statements they make. Then, during the second half of the program, he talked with Jim Meadows, who will be Focus’ new interim host starting Monday.

Have you ever pet a cockroach? If you’ve been longing to, you’ll get that chance this weekend at the Insect Fear Film Festival. This hour on Focus, host Craig Cohen talked with UIUC entomologist May Berenbaum about this year’s festival, cockroaches in all their glory, and flying insect swarms as UFO’s. Find the podcast here.

Mental illness, gun violence, tragedy. What now? Today on Focus, we talked about the intersection of mental health and gun violence and what area mental health providers and policy makers are doing to protect our students and communities. Find the podcast here.

Guns: Two Illinois Stories

The truth is out there…are you a believer? Today on Focus, host Craig Cohen talked with Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, and John Grant, author of Denying Science: Conspiracy Theories, Media Distortions and the War Against Reality. Find the podcast here.